Cooperative Agreement F24AC00749

THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS FORM ONE OF THE WORLD S MOST SPECIES-RICH AND SEVERELY THREATENED BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS, WITH EVIDENCE POINTING TO INTERNATIONAL ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE AS A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO SOME OF THE MOST ENDANGERED ENDEMICS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ACHIEVE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE ILLEGAL COLLECTION AND INTERNATIONAL TRAFFICKING OF ENDEMIC AND GLOBALLY THREATENED WILDLIFE FROM THE LESSER ANTILLES, BEGINNING IN BARBADOS, DOMINICA, GRENADA, SAINT LUCIA, AND ST. VINCENT THE GRENADINES, THROUGH TRAINING AND FOSTERING AN EFFECTIVE REGIONAL TASKFORCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (LEAS) TO COMBAT ILLEGAL AND UNSUSTAINABLE WILDLIFE TRADE. UNDER THE PROPOSED 18-MONTH AGREEMENT, RE:WILD WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH MULTIPLE NATIONAL LEAS, FAUNA FLORA, NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES TO: STRENGTHEN THE TECHNICAL CAPACITY OF LEAS IN THE TARGET COUNTRIES TO INVESTIGATE, DETECT, AND DISRUPT POACHING AND TRAFFICKING OF ENDEMIC SPECIES INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF TARGETED LEAS TO ADOPT INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE CRIME AND PROTECTION POLICIES INTO THE NATIONAL POLICIES, STRATEGIES, AND PRACTICES AND FACILITATE INTER-AGENCY, NATIONAL, AND REGIONAL COLLABORATION TO COMBAT WILDLIFE CRIME IN THE TARGET COUNTRIES. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) DESIGN AND DELIVER A NEW DIPLOMA COURSE ON COUNTER-WILDLIFE CRIME FOR 30-40 PRACTITIONERS, COUPLED WITH A MENTORSHIP SCHEME AND LEARNING MATERIALS 2) FACILITATE AT LEAST FIVE NATIONAL AND AT LEAST THREE REGIONAL MEETINGS TO ENABLE MEMBERS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP NEW WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVISE WAYS TO COOPERATE MORE EFFECTIVELY AND 3) SUPPORT CITES SCIENTIFIC AND MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES IN THE TARGET COUNTRIES TO IDENTIFY CAPACITY GAPS ON CITES IMPLEMENTATION AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, ENGAGE IN POLICY PROCESSES THROUGH BESPOKE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE, AND ESTABLISH OPEN COMMUNICATION CHANNELS WITH KEY DEMAND COUNTRIES TO COLLABORATE AGAINST WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CITES-LISTED SPECIES. OUTCOMES WILL INCLUDE: (I) UNIVERSITY-ACCREDITED COURSE AND TRAINING CURRICULA FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS IS DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED (II) NATIONAL, REGIONAL, AND, INCREASINGLY, INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION AGAINST WILDLIFE CRIME IS DEMONSTRABLY STRENGTHENED (III) COUNTER-WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT IMPLEMENTATION LOOPHOLES ARE IDENTIFIED AND PLANS DEVELOPED AND INITIATED TO CLOSE THEM AND (IV) FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS PROJECT INFORM UPDATES TO NATIONAL LEGISLATION ON ILLEGAL TRADE OF WILDLIFE IN AT LEAST THREE OF THE FIVE TARGET COUNTRIES.